Medical pad



Dec. 11, 1934. w M. scHoLl.'

MEDI CAL PAD Filed June lO, 1951 ZL-Q W'ZZa'czw 77. 190700Z?,

Patented Dec. l1, 1934 MEDICAL PAD William M. Scholl, Chicago, Ill., assignor to The New York Scholl Mfg. Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Application June 10, 1931, Serial No. 543,297

1 Claim.

This invention relates to kimprovements in medical pads of the character commonly used as corn, callous, and bunion plasters or pads, surgi- `cal dressings, etc., although the invention may have many and various uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various types of medical pads have been developed,` but in many instances have proven objectionable in that the cushioning element of the pad could not be made as thick as 'is desired in some instances due to the fact that pressure on the edge of the pad by some article exterior thereto would cause considerable irritation to the body of the user. Especially was this true with regard to medical pads or surgical dressings Worn upon the feet inside of a. shoe, wherein the pad is frequently attached to a rounded or curved portion of the foot, and if the pad was as thick as is desired in many cases, the pressure of the shoe upon the corners or edges of the pad would be exceedingly irksome. In addition, these formerly known pads, especially those held upon the body by means of an adhesive material, often became loose around the edges of the pad after. comparatively short usage.

Furthermore, in such pads as previously constructed some difliculty has been experienced with adhesive squeezing cut at the edges of the pad and adhering to the wearer's hosiery.

With the foregoing as well as other defects and objections in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide amedical pad for surgical dressings which includes a cushioning element considerably thicker in accordance with its particular use than similar pads heretofore known, and which is non-irritative even though placed upon the body beneath an article of apparel.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a medical pad embodying a cushioning element having beveled edges or sloping margins.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a medical pad including a cushioning element and a protective covering therefor, which prevent emanations of adhesive, the cushioning element having beveled edges and the protective covering conforming in contour tol the cushioning element.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the disclosures hereinafter.

The invention includes these and other features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described, and shown in a preferred form (Cl. 12S-153) in the drawing, as more particularly indicated by the claim.

vOn the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a pad embodying principles of the present invention mounted upon the customary carrying medium.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the pad shown in Figure 1, with and without the carrying medium. 4

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the structure shown in Figure 1, taken substantially as indicated by the section line III- III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing -a pad with a differently shaped central aperture.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figures 3 and 4 showing a pad with a still differently shaped central aperture.

As shown on the drawing:

In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, there is shown the customary carrying medium 10, preferably of gauze, which is commonly used for holding pads or plasters provided with an adhesive surface by which they are attached to the body of the user. Mounted upon the carrying medium is a medical pad 11 embodying the present invention. The pad 11, in this instance, is of the type designed to relieve pressure on and to prevent rubbing of an aiilicted portion of the body by transferring the pressure to a healthy portion of the body around the afflicted area and shielding the ailiicted area from contact of articles of apparel normally Worn thereover.

As seen more clearly in Figure 3, the pad 11 comprises a cushioning element 12 of felt, cotton padding, or the equivalent, on the bottom surface of which is attached a layer 13 of suitable adhesive material, or the cushioning element may be provided with an adhesive undersurface or coating by means of which the pad is initially secured to the carrying medium 10 and subsequently to the body of a user. The upper surface of the pad is completely covered by a protective covering 14 which may be of the same material as the sheet 13 and is designed to shield the afflicted portion from articles of apparel, the aillicted portion being normally received in an aperture 15 in the sheet 13 and cushioning element 12.

It will be noted that the cushioning element 12 is provided with a distinctly beveled edge or sloping margin 16 entirely therearound, whereby this cushioning element may be made with a. relatively considerable thickness, and yet even n though the pad be located on a rounded portion F of the body or beneath a relatively tight tting article of apparel, there will be no resulting irritation to the user, since there will be a gradual uplift of the article of apparel over the pad instead of the abrupt uplift of the article as is the case with pads heretofore known. It will be noted that the bevel or sloping margin 16 extends downwardly the full depth of the pad as indicated at 17, so that the adhesive layer or coating 13 is covered around its outer edge by the covering 14. Such construction prevents the adhesive material from squeezing out beneath the pad' and thus adhering to the stocking of the user. )The covering 14. is further preferably cut alongthe lower edge thereof at such an angle as to lie flat against the body of a user when the pad is applied. This lower edge is also indicated at 17 in the drawing. Such construction eliminates an angularly projecting edge likely to catch on articles of apparel drawn thereover.

Although I have shown and described herein a pad in the nature of a bunion plaster with an adhesive undersurface for attaching the same to the body of a user, it should be noted that it is not essential that the pad have the adhesive under-surface but that pads of various shapes and character and secured to the body in various ways and manners may be made in accordance vwith the present invention without departing from the principles thereof.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a medical pad which embodies a cushioning element of relatively great thickness without causing any irritation or injury to the user. It Will also be apparent that the pad is very simple in construction, made by a new and novel method. and is economically manufactured.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range Without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than is necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

, As an article of manufacture, a medical pad for application to the human body adjacent an afflicted area and adapted to relieve said area by transferring pressure therefrom to a normal area, said pad comprising a substantially flat member'of cushioning material having an adhesive undersurface for attaching said member to a body, said member having a sloping margin. and a flexible covering adhesively secured over said member and extending to the lowermost peripheral edge of said sloping margin to thereby cover the exposed surface of said member when the pad is in use and retain the general shape of said member as the resultant shape of the pad, the lower edge of said covering being cut at such an angle as to lie at against the body of a user when said pad is in use.

WILLIAM M. SCHOLL. 

